Adviser Categories | LAPF Investments Awards 2026

Adviser Categories
The Awards are open for entries on the 5th May and close on the 22nd June.

INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD

The winner in this category will have worked closely with LGPS clients to provide clients with secure long-term inflation-correlated income flow from infrastructure (or similar) assets.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• Sustainability

• Risk management

• Innovation

• Client service including reporting

• How the strategy has helped clients achieve their goal

• How your organisation has worked with LGPS clients in formulating long-term strategies

INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICE OF THE YEAR

This award is given to an individual or entity that has provided forward-looking support and service to the LGPS. Entrants can come from a wide range of disciplines including investment consultancy, responsible investing consultancy, strategic advisers, economists, investment governance. The award is designed to highlight how a firm has supported the LGPS through particularly challenging times.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• How you or your firm has worked with LGPS clients to identify and establish the scope of a service requirement

• Implementation of solutions

• Assessment of outcomes

• Support provided for the LGPS in areas such as new regulation, pooling, administration, as well as unpredicted global events such as COVID

FIXED INCOME AND/OR CREDIT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The award winner will be a firm that has worked with its LGPS clients to fulfil their fixed income or credit strategy expectations. This category includes but is not limited to managers of debt, Gilts, index linked, multi sector credit.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)

• Client service including reporting

• Risk management

• Sustainability

EQUITY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner of this award will be an organisation that has demonstrated excellence in performance, stewardship, and reporting for active and passive LGPS investors.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)

• Client service including reporting

• Risk management

• Sustainability

LGPS FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Entrants in this category must demonstrate how they have worked with the LGPS both generally and specifically with their clients to deliver excellent service and performance. All aspects of the investment process should be addressed including service provision, performance, support, transparency, disclosures, engagement.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• Performance (net of fees) relative to target return and risk taken

• Client service including reporting

• Sustainability

• Engagement

• How the manager has helped client achieve their goals

PRIVATE MARKETS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner of this award may invest in any area of the private markets in the UK, including private equity and debt and other unlisted assets, other than infrastructure and property (covered under separate awards).

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)

• Client service including reporting

• Risk management

• Sustainability

• Any innovations in fee structures and transparency of fees

PROPERTY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner in this category will be a property manager that has responded well to the challenges of managing a property portfolio for LGPS clients over the last 12 months. The winner will also demonstrate an understanding of how the LGPS should both adapt to the current economic climate and prepare for expected changes in the sector.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• How your organisation has worked with LGPS clients in formulating long-term strategies

• Describe how you have developed your strategy to reflect changing needs for real assets

• Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)

• Client service including reporting

• Risk management

• Sustainability

• Projects focused on regeneration and/or social property development

EMERGING MARKETS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

This award is for firms that have worked closely with the LGPS to develop and deliver emerging market strategies. It includes frontier markets and covers all asset classes including equity, debt, real estate and infrastructure.

Please remember the following when submitting your entry:

• Investment performance versus targeted return

• Client service including reporting

• Risk management

• Sustainability

LGPS SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

This award will be given to a firm that has provided a service which helps schemes manage their assets. It is open to all service providers other than those providing investment advice. This might include any or all of actuarial services, ESG auditors, proxy voting services, performance measurement, transition managers and custodians, actuarial services. Service providers providing investment advice should enter the Investment Advisory Service of the Year category.

In your entry, please explain how your services contributed towards improvements in processes in the LGPS and address the following where applicable:

• Client support provided

• Innovations implemented including the process of change

• Provision of reporting tools

• How clients achieved a better outcome as a result

LOCAL INVESTMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner will be a manager that has demonstrated excellence in delivering both a financial and impact return from investment strategies, and in measuring and reporting on both those goals.

Remember to address the following in your entry:

• How your range of impact strategies address social, economic, or environmental issues

• How your organisation has identified strategies which have helped LGPS clients deliver on financial and impact goals

• Client service including reporting

• Risk management

LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

This award is given to a Law firm that has provided support and service to the LGPS. The award is designed to highlight how a firm has supported the LGPS.

Remember to address the following in your entry:

• Client service

• Training

• Education

SYSTEMS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

The winner of this award will be an organisation that has provided outstanding technology solutions for the funds they work with. Entries will be assessed on how the client is served on a day-to-day basis, and on adaptability to ensure the solutions fit the needs of the clients they serve. Organisations providing administrative platforms and tools, as well as member portals and investment platforms are welcome to enter.

You should address as many of the following as possible in your entry:

• Ability to tailor solutions to individual client requirements rather than one-size-fits-all approaches

• Examples of how your services have actively delivered solutions for the client(s) that you serve

• Measures in place to safeguard sensitive financial and personal information

• Track record of adapting systems to new compliance requirements and regulatory changes

• Improved investment returns your systems have enabled (investment platforms only)

• How your services have led to increased member engagement and improved outcomes (member portals only)

Adviser CategoriesThe Awards are open for entries on the 5th May and close on the 22nd June.